Distributor of paper sheets and like articles



July 20, 1965 c. HouvER 3,195,886

DISTRIBUTOR OF PAPER SHETS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Deo. 5, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @um 30mm 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. HOUVER July 20, 1965 DISTRIBUTOR OF PAPER SHEETS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 5, 1962 July 20, 1965 c. HouvER 3,195,836

DISTRIBUTOR OF PAPER SHEETS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Deo. 5, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wwf/77 46 f v:

United States Patent O 3,l95,886 DHSTRHBUTR @E PAPER SHEETS AND MRE AlTlClc-ES Charles Hoover, 1 Blvd. Anatole France, Meudon, Seine et 055e, France Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 241,863 Claims priority, application France, Dec. '7, 1961, iio, Patent 1,307,689; Apr. 6, 1962, 893,625, Patent 81,3%; May 2l, 1962, 893,1195, Patent ll 11 Claims. (Cl. 271-42) The present invention relates to a distributor of paper sheets and like articles, wherein the stacked sheets are delivered one by one to a position of utilization by a device actuated from outside the distributor.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a distributor wherein the uppermost sheet of the stack is slipped out from this stack by a member exerting a pressure on the sheet and moving same forwards subsequent to a backward movement.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a distributor of paper sheets and like articles which is particularly reliable in operation, each sheet projecting by a uniform length from the distributor in the position ready for removal, irrespective of the height of the sheet stack.

ln a distributor of paper sheets and lil-ie articles according to the present invention, the uppermost sheet of the stack housed in the distributor is brought to its position of removal by a flexible member carrying a friction lining of suitable plastic material on its sheet-engaging end, this flexible member being connected to a sliding push member guided in one of the walls of the distributor and movable toward the rear end of the distributor against resilient return means adapted, when the push member is to return to its initial position, to cause the uppermost sheet of the stack to project from the distributor.

In a distributor of paper sheets and like articles of the type set forth hereinabove, the aforesaid flexible member is formed at its operative lower end with an angular edge for carrying along the paper sheets and said push member is associated with step-up means adapted, against said resilient return means, to move said driving member rapidly to the rear of the distributor.

The present invention is also concerned with speciiic forms of embodiment comprising one or more of the following characteristic features:

(a) The flexible member consisting of a spring blade comprises at its lower end an angular driving edge having a triangular configuration in cross section.

(b) The lower portion of the spring blade is slightly bent and forms with the upper portion of said blade an obtuse angle, in order to improve the driving eiiiciency of the movement for extracting the uppermost sheet from the Stack.

(c) The sliding push member comprises a rack cooperating with a toothed wheel integral with a transmission member associated with a part on which the upper sheet driving member is secured.

(d) The sliding push member is actuated by means of a link pivotally mounted on the wall guiding the push member and connected by means of a link of iiexible material to a flat horizontal control lever pivoted on the distributor and extending throughout the length or width of the open side of the distributor.

(e) The end of the push member is disposed on the sheet outlet face to permit the stacking and the servicing or operation of distributors in series as well as their interchangeability.

(f) The sliding push member guide wall is provided on its lower face with two studs causing the flexible driving member to be retracted during its backward movement in the distributor, said studs being furthermore deddgd@ Patented July 2Q, i965 signed for cooperating with notches formed in the flexible driving member for restoring said flexible driving member to its operative position upon completion of its return movement to the front end of the distributor, this form of embodiment permitting of dispensing with the abutment in the bottom of the distributor.

g) A locking pawl may be provided for holding the flexible member rigid with the push member in its inoperative position when re-loading the distributor with a new stack of sheets.

(h) The flexible member may be held in its inoperative position during the distributor loading operation by a magnetized device housed in the case body.

(i) it may also bc held in its inoperative position by simply causing its free end to engage the underside of the end edge of the aperture guiding the sliding push member.

(j) An additional detachable bottom may be associated with the case of the distributor in order to modify at will the capacity of the distributor according to the dimensions of the sheets to be introduced therein.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which wiil become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination c-t' parts and in the details or" construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention erein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FGURE 1 is a longitudinal vertical section showing a iirst embodiment of the sheet distributor according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section along the lines 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FlG. 3 is a horizontal section along the lines 3-3 of FiG. 4, with parts broken away, showing another embodiment of the distributor;

FIG. 4 is a section along the lines 4*@ of FlG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to i 1G. 2 showing on a larger scale the device for holding the exible shee driving member in its inoperative position;

FlG. 6 is a horizontal section along the lines 6 5 of FIG. 7 and showing another embodiment of the distributor;

FiG. 7 is a section along the lines 7 7 of PEG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing on a larger scale the flexible member in its retracted position;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary View similar to FlG. 8 showing the tlexible member in its inoperative position; and

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary view showing a modied embodiment of the device of the present invention.

The distributor of paper sheets and like articles according to the present invention, which is illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. l and 2 of the drawing comprises a case l consisting of two top and bottom walls 2 and 3, of an end wall il and of two lateral walls 5 and 6, the side opposite to the end wall 4 being apertured to permit the delivery of the paper sheets.

The top wall 2 has an aperture 7 for guiding a sliding push member 3, the movements of which are limited by the end edges 7a and 7b of the aperture 7.

The push member 8 carries a head 9 for easily controlling its movements and a flexible member consisting of a spring blade lil secured on the inner face of said sliding push member by screws 1l (or any other suitable fastening means), the lower end of the liexible member lll) which bears resiliently on the stack of sheets l2 disposed on the bottom wall 3 of the case carrying a friction lining of rubber or like resilient material.

l housed ina recessV 16 formed in the end portion of the push member S, the spring havingone end attached to the push member 8 and the opposite end attached to theY top wall 2 of the case 1.

The case 1 has on its open sidean inclined face 17 (FIG. 1), which constitutes a sliding surface adapted to facilitate the outward movement of each sheet with respect to the case 1 when the stack grows thinner and thinner at the end.

To permit the reloading of the case 1 with a new stack of sheets, a sliding locking pawl 18 formed with an inclined lug'19 is mounted in the top wall 2 of the case 1, the pawl 18 being adapted to hold in its inoperative position, as shown in broken'lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flexible member consisting of the spring blade 10,.when the` 'paper sheets are being introduced into the case 1.

The paper sheet distributor described hereinabove operates as follows: Y

' When the case 1 is lilled with a stack of sheets 12, the operator can extract these sheets separately by simply moving firstly the push member 8 in Ythedirection of the arrow f against the action of the return spring 15 until the push member 8 abuts against the end edge 7b of the aperture 7, the head `9'being positioned in this Vcase as shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 1. Then the `operator re-y leases the push memberS and the return spring 15 causes the same to move back to its initial position in the directio-n ofthe arrow f1, until it engages the opposite end edge 7a of the aperture 7. During the return movement of the push member 8 in the direction of the arrow f1, the spring the uppermostrsheet of the stack. In fact, during the manufacture of the paper sheets, When the stacked raw sheets are trimmed, they are caused to adhere more or less to one another by their edges 12a. Consequently, in order to overcome this resistance, though small it may be, the triangular shape of friction-liningl 38 on the spring blade 10 provides a leading edge bearing with a certain pressure on the sheet 12,v so as to carry along this sheet 12 during the return movement toward the distributor outlet, and on the other hand the angular contour of the blade'lt) maintains'an increased pressure of friction lining 38 on the sheet surface.

FIG. 5 illustrates a device for retaining the spring blade 1t) in its inoperative position duringthe re-loading of the case 1. This device, consisting essentially of a permanent magnet 39 housed in the Wall 25 permits of holding the blade 10 within the zone of attraction of this magnet, as

` illustrated in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 5, during the time necessary for introducingV a new stack of sheets into the casey 1. The blade' 10 is subsequently released for engaging the stack in its operative position.

It will be noted from FIG. 4 that the controlend of the push member 27 emerges from the case 1, that is,.from the face where the sheets are extracted from the device, instead of being positioned on the top lwall `of the distributor, as shown in the example of FIGS. l and 2; with this arrangement a plurality of distributors may be stacked in series upon one another and operated simultaneously, since the push members are constantly easy to get at.

When the case 1 is filled With a stack of sheets 12, the operator can extract them one by one' by simply moving f the push member 27 firstly in the direction of the arrow blade 10 carries along the uppermost sheet of the stack 12,4.

which is thus caused to project somewhat from the distributor, as shown in chain-dottedline on the right-hand side of FIG. l.

bility of the-.spring blade 10 not interfering with this movement.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another embodiment of the distributor, wherein the end wall 4 and the side wall 6 are not shown.

Secured on the inner face of the top wall 2 by means of screws 24 or any other suitable means is an underlying plate 25 in which an opening 25a is formed, a gap being left between the top wall 2 and the plate 25, inorder to form a recess 26, in which a push member 27 is adapted to slide, the push member 2'7 having a lateral cranked branch or arm portion 28 directed toward the rear end of the distributor and ending with a bent portion 29. This push member 27 is responsive toa return tension spring 30 connected at one end to the aforesaid bent portion 29 of the arm 28 and at the opposite end to the plate 25. The

arm 28 of the push memberf27'carries on itsinner edge a small rack 31 (which may also be formed integrally' therewith) in meshing engagement with a toothed wheel 32 integral with a pin 33 trunnioned in the wall 2 and in the plate 25 (see FIGS. 4 and 5), the pin 33being integral with a toothed segment 34 meshing in turn with a larger rack 35 formed in a member 36 guided inV turn in the recess 26 and having secured thereon by means of screws 37 tour, and the lower portion 10a rof' the spring bladey 10 is slightly bent'with respect to the upper portion 10b, so as to forman obtuse angle therewith, these two features ensuring a greater efficiency to they device for carrying along Then the sheet 12 thusv separated canV easily be gripped and removed from the case 1, the flexi# or any other suitable fastening means the exible member t distributor.

12 and extract the same completely from the case 1, the

f (FIG. 4)'. against the elastic resistance of the return spring 30, the rack 31 and the toothed wheel 32 producing the step up or gear up action necessary for producing through the toothed sector 34 and rack 35V the fast movement of the member 36 in thevsame direction until the edge 36a thereof abuts against the opposite edge 25a of the opening 26, the member 36 carrying along the flexible blade 10 during its movement. Whenfthe operator releases the push member 27, the return spring 30 pulls this member 27 Yback to its initial position in the direction of the arrow f1 (FIG. 4) until the push member 27 abuts against the outermost end edge 26b of the recess 26. During the return movement of the push member 27 in the direction of the arrow f1, the angular edge 38 of the blade 10 carries along the .uppermost sheet of the stack V12 which, at the end of this return stroke, projects Vfrom the Thus, the user may easily grip this sheet lhaving one end attached tothe push member 27 and the other end attached to the Wall 25.

The push memberf27 is actuated by means of a link 40 Aformed with an elongated hole 41 in which a pin secured to the push member 27 is engaged. The link 40 is pivotedon a pin 43 carried bythe wall 25v and connected through a pin 44Yto one end of a link 45 of flexible material which has its other end attached by means of a screw 46 or any other suitable means ona at bar 47 acting asa control key extending throughout the widthv of the open side of the distributor. The bar 47 is connected to a pair of brackets 48pivoted on pins 49 carried by the side walls 5 and 6 of the distributor case.

'The exible driving member 10 secured by screws 37 on the pushY member 27 Vcomprises at its lower end, as in :i d the embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 5, an angular driving edge 38-having a triangular shape in cross section, so as to impart a better eiiciency to the movement for pushing the sheet out from the distributor.

The guide wall 25 has secured on its lower face a pair yof plates 50 carrying studs 51 projecting from each longitudinal side of the guiding opening 25a, these studs 51 being adapted to co-act with notches 52 and 53 formed on either side of the spring blade 1t), as will be explained presently.

Since, in this specific embodiment, the driving edge 38 is not caused to slide on the sheet surface during its backward movement, it is no more necessary to provide an abutment wall at the rear end of the distributor.

In order to hold the flexible driving member 1t) in its inoperative position during the reloading of the case with a fresh stack of sheets, advantage is taken of its inherent flexibility for slightly engaging its free end under the end edge 25b of the guiding aperture 25a (see FIG. 9). The tiexible member is thus held during the time necessary for re-loading the case and afterwards the operator releases it from the edge b of the aperture 25a to enable this member to resume its operative position by simply depressing the bar 47.

Stop members 54 and 55 are provided on the side walls 5 and 6 of the distributor in order to limit the angular movement of brackets 48 and, therefore, the movement of the push member 27.

Assuming that the case 1 contains a stack of sheets 12, these sheets 12 can be extracted one by one by simply moving the push member 27 firstly in the direction of the arrow f (FIG. 7) against the resistance of the return spring 3) by depressing the bar 47 in the direction of the arrow f2, thus causing the bar 47 to pivot about the pins e9 in the direction of the arrow f3 and determining through the iiexible link 45 the pivotal movement of link 4t] about its pin 43, as shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 6. From the very beginning of the movement accomplished by the push member 27 in the direction of the arrow f and during the time necessary to complete this movement the studs 51 lift the spring blade iti (see FIG. 8) and hold the same in the upper position, whereby the friction lining 3S is kept somewhat spaced from the stack of sheets 12 and is thus prevented from rumpling or damaging the uppermost sheet of the stack. When the push member 27 urged by the spring 30 in the direction of the arrow f1 (FIG. 7) resumes its position at the front of the device, and when the notches 52 register again with the studs 51, the spring blade 1t) resumes in turn its operative position, as shown in FIG. 7 and the friction lining 38 will thus be properly positioned for carrying along the uppermost sheet of the stack 12, so that upon completion of its stroke this sheet 12 will project from the distributor. Then the operator may easily grip the projecting sheet and extract the same from the case, the flexibiiity of the spring blade 1) permitting this movement without any risk of damaging the sheet.

FIG. 1() illustrates another modified embodiment, whereby the distributor capacity may be altered at will as a function of the dimensions of the paper sheets to be stored therein. To this end registering transverse grooves 22may be formed at spaced intervals in the inner faces of the top and bottom Walls 2 and 3 of the case 1, the relative spacing of these grooves being for example 1/2. Detachable partition elements 23 may be inserted at will in these grooves.

This distributor may be disposed horizontally, vertically or with any desired inclination. With a distributor of this character it is possible to deliver not only paper sheets but also cards, flat paper bags, wrappers, cardboard sheets or like articles, the thickness of the spring blade being calculated, so as to exert a pressure consistent with the weight of the article to be distributed or the nature of its surface.

Two, three or more distributor members may be provided according to requirements in a single device, with 6 single or multiple control means permitting for example the simultaneous or shifted delivery of the sheets or other articles from the device. A distributor with adequate coupling means may deliver simultaneously for instance a paper sheet and a wrapper for writing a letter.

Of course, many modifications and alterations may be brought to the forms of embodiment shown and described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A distributor of paper sheets, comprising a case having a top wall, a bottom wall, two opposite disposed lateral walls and one end wall and having a front opening opposite said end wall,

said case being adapted to receive a plurality of sheets disposed in superposed position to form a stack,

means for moving the uppermost of said sheets through said front opening of said case for a predetermined length to be gripped and completely removed,

said moving means including a flexible member extending with its free end toward the top sheet and having a friction lining of resilient material on said free end,

a push member slidably guided for movement in a direction away from said front opening of said case and parallel to said top wall,

spring means urging said push member in the direction of said front opening of said case, so that upon release of said push member after its movement from said front opening, the push member performs a return movement by the force of said spring means towards said front opening simultaneously removing the uppermost of said sheets,

said flexible member being secured to said push member and joining the movements of the latter,

said dexible member comprising a spring blade having at its sheet engaging end an angular edge of triangular cross-section, said angular edge pushing along the uppermost of said sheets during the spring-forced return movement of said push member, said spring blade having a slightly bent portion at its free end to form an obtuse angle with its remaining portion, in order to impart a better eticiency to said spring blade.

2. The distributor, as set forth in claim 1, which includes step-up gear means causing a rapid displacement of said iiexible member against the force of said spring means.

3. The distributor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said push member includes a gear rack, and which includes a gear meshing with said gear rack,

an intermediate member carrying said gear, and

said spring blade is secured to said intermediate member.

d. The distributor, as set forth in claim 1, which includes means for reciprocating said push member comprising a first link pivotally secured to one of said walls guiding said push member,

a bar-shaped horizontal control lever pivotally secured to said case and extending throughout the Width of said front opening, and

a second link connecting said first link with said barshaped horizontal control lever.

5. The distributor, as set forth in claim l, wherein said push member is disposed below said top wall of said case and projects from said front opening, in order to permit a stacking of a plurality of said distributors in superposed position.

6. The distributor, as set forth in claim 1, which includes 7 a pair of studs carried by one of said walls guiding said push member,

said pair of studs causing the retraction of said flexible member during its displacement from said front opening, and v Y y said flexible member has notches receiving said studs in order to return said flexible member to its opera-Y tive position during its movement towards said front opening, so that any abutment means may be dispensed with at the rear end of the path of said push member. 1 y Y m 7. T-he distributor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said push member includes locking means for said exible member to retain the latter in its inoperative position, in order to permit reloading of said case.

8. The distributor, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said locking means comprises a locking pawl secured to said push member.

i 9. The distributor, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said locking means comprises a magnet mounted Vin said push member. f i

10. The distributor, as set forthY in claim 7, wherein Y said case has an additional guide wall disposed parallel and adjacent to said top wall,

said guide wall has an opening, and.

8 l the free' end of said exible member' engaging the edge of said last mentioned opening, in order to retain l j said flexible member in inoperative position.V

11. Thel distributor, as set forth in claim 1,**whichfin- 5. cludes Y i at least-one additional detachable end wall in said case, in order to adjust *the inner dimensions of said case to the size of said sheets. n m Y References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

25 RAPHAEL M.VLUVPO, Examiner. 

1. A DISTRIBUTOR OF PAPER SHEETS, COMPRISING A CASE HAVING A TOP WALL, A BOTTOM WALL, TWO OPPOSITE DISPOSED LATERAL WALLS AND ONE END WALL AND HAVING A FRONT OPENING OPPOSITE SAID END WALL, SAID CASE BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A PLURALITY OF SHEETS DISPOSED IN SUPERPOSED POSITION TO FORM A STACK, MEANS FOR MOVING THE UPPERMOST OF SAID SHEETS THROUGH SAID FRONT OPENING OF SAID CASE FOR A PREDETERMINED LENGTH TO BE GRIPPED AND COMPLETELY REMOVED, SAID MOVING MEANS INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE MEMBER EXTENDING WITH ITS FREE END TOWARD THE TOP SHEET AND HAVING A FRICTION LINING OF RESILIENT MATERIAL ON SAID FREE END, A PUSH MEMBER SLIDABLY GUIDED FOR MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID FRONT OPENING OF SAID CASE AND PARALLEL TO SAID TOP WALL, SPRING MEANS URGING SAID PUSHG MEMBERING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID FRONT OPENING OF SAID CASE, SO THAT UPON RELEASE OF SAID PUSH MEMBER AFTER ITS MOVEMENT FROM SAID FRONT OPENING, THE PUSH MEMBER PERFORMS A RETURN MOVEMENT BY THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS TOWARDS SAID FRONT OPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVING THE UPPERMOST OF SAID SHEETS, SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER BEING SECURED TO SAID PUSH MEMBER AND JOINING THE MOVEMENTS OF THE LATTER, SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER COMPRISING A SPRING BLADE HAVING AT ITS SHEET ENGAGING END AN ANGULAR EDGE OF TRIANGULAR CROSS-SECTION, SAID ANGULAR EDGE PUSHING ALONG T HE UPPERMOST OF SAID PUSH MEMBER, SAID SPRING RETURN MOVEMENT OF SAID PUSH MEMBER, SAID SPRING BLADE HAVING A SLIGHTLY BENT PORTION AT ITS FREE END TO FORM AN OBTUSE ANGLE WITH ITS REMAINING PORTION, IN ORDER TO IMPART A BETTER EFFICIENCY TO SAID SPRING BLADE. 